


Glitter and Gold

by softspacedad



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Nonbinary Character, Short & Sweet, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:33:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27994566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softspacedad/pseuds/softspacedad
Summary: A short fic about non-binary Hannibal and trans masc Will caring for each other.
Relationships: Will Graham & Hannibal Lecter, Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 14
Kudos: 70





	Glitter and Gold

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Jester (@dilfmikkelsen on twitter) for talking about nb Hannibal with me, and to Aleks (@alekstraordinary) for proof-reading as always. Enjoy!

Will knocks three times on the imposing door in front of him. The door belongs to an equally imposing house that probably cost more than Will could make in a decade, and that belongs to his friend, Doctor Hannibal Lecter. He shivers in the cold of this Baltimore evening, and he’s surprised to be left waiting on the porch longer than usual. He knocks again, hearing a voice coming from inside the house in response:

“I am sorry, my dear Will, but I am afraid my hands are rather busy at the moment, and I cannot greet you properly. Please, do let yourself in, the door is unlocked.” 

Will stops himself from making a comment about the rudeness of this situation, and walks in. Out of habit, he makes his way to the kitchen, but finds it unusually empty. The oven is turned off, but the smell floating around the room indicates that their meal has just finished cooking.

“Hannibal?” Will calls, making his way back to the hall.

“Upstairs, Will.”

This is a most unexpected turn of events, Will thinks to himself. He and Hannibal met a few months ago, and have become friends over the course of working together, enjoying dinner at Hannibal’s place every now and then. However, it has always seemed so calculated and this time, Will feels like he has caught Hannibal unprepared, almost vulnerable. That thought does not leave his mind as he walks upstairs and makes his way to the only room that is lit. He pushes the door slightly, stepping into one of the most luxurious bathrooms he has ever seen. Everything from floor to ceiling is made out of soft, polished grey marble, the shower and spacious bathtub looking like they belong in a 5-stars hotel, the mirrors are the color of gold and- _oh._

Standing in front of the mirror is Hannibal, wearing one of his usual tailored suits, this one a deep purple that highlights his fair skin. He looks breathtaking, and this, Will is accustomed to. What he isn’t accustomed to however, is the fact that Hannibal is holding one of his smaller kitchen knives up to his temple, above his right eye. In awe, Will steps closer to find that Hannibal is applying black eyeliner, curving the line around the edge of the knife. They stay silent for a few moments, waiting for Hannibal to be done. He takes one last look in the mirror and, deeming himself satisfied with his work, sets the knife down next to the sink and turns to Will, whose breath catches in his throat.

Hannibal looks beautiful like this. For a second, Will fancies himself a painter, just so he could try to recreate what he is seeing, and hang his work in a museum amongst the gods and goddesses. Most of Hannibal’s face remains unchanged, his strong jawline and cheekbones giving him his everlasting masculine look, his lips soft and turned up into a kind smile, but his eyes… his _eyes_. Hannibal has applied a shade of purple eyeshadow complementing the color of his suit, and has added two perfectly symmetrical lines of eyeliner, one on each eye, curving perfectly in a shape that Will now knows mirrors his kitchen knife. 

“Your mouth is hanging open, dear Will,” Hannibal finally says with a smile, “and although I find your silence flattering, I much prefer the company of your words. I apologize for not greeting you at the door and asking you to join me here, but it would seem that I have let myself succumb to an impulse this evening.”

“I didn’t know you wore makeup,” Will says clumsily, angry at his own words but unable to stop himself from addressing the elephant in the room.

“I do not do so often,” Hannibal replies softly. His eyes are staring into Will’s, and the profiler, who is usually so uncomfortable with eye contact, feels as though he could not look away even if he tried, “but I enjoy exploring the depths of my own notions of gender. I have always found the boundaries of the gender binary to be too restrictive, when I know that beauty can be found everywhere, if one simply knows how to look. I apply this vision to both my partners and myself.”

Will is at a loss for words. He had always known that Hannibal was not exactly the type to watch football and chop up wood, but had not expected to uncover this side of him, either. Slowly, Will realizes that his silence makes it seem like he is uncomfortable; however, before he can say anything, Hannibal opens the door, steps out of the bathroom and says:

“Now, if you will join me in the dining room, I believe dinner is ready.”

*******

They sit and eat in silence, after Hannibal serves them _vol-au-vents_ unlike anything Will has ever eaten before. He is happy to focus on how good the food tastes for a little while, before his thoughts irremediably return to what has happened in the bathroom. It’s not like Will can pretend he has never found Hannibal attractive before-- he has eyes, after all. But there is something about the absolute confidence that Hannibal had displayed as he was trusting Will with this intimate part of himself, knowing that Will would not laugh it off. Something he can not put into words, but that tugs at his heart in an entirely new manner. 

Will allows himself to look at Hannibal discreetly in-between bites, and what a sight it is. Hannibal looks so elegant, sitting at the head of his dining room table, eating gracefully, his grip firm around his fork and knife, his expression entirely peaceful. Somehow, the makeup does not make him look soft; if anything, it accentuates his strong features. Will thinks he looks dangerous and utterly irresistible. 

Nervous and unable to bear the silence any longer, Will blurts out:

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything in the bathroom, I think I was just surprised.” 

“That is perfectly alright, Will,” Hannibal answers calmly. “I am aware that you might not be used to these conversations surrounding gender. I trust that you will not try telling me to be a “real man”.”

“Oh no, not at all. Actually,” Will thinks, unsure if he should proceed, but finding no reason not to. “I’m not that unfamiliar with questions of gender.” 

“How so?”

“I am… I am transgender myself. A trans guy. I don’t view my own gender as a fluid thing like you, but I do know a thing or two about it.” 

Will braces himself for the shock he expects to find in Hannibal’s eyes, or to have to answer a myriad of questions like he always does, but instead he is faced with a fond look on Hannibal’s face, and Will thinks he might just faint. Hannibal covers Will’s hand with his own and smiles:

“Thank you for trusting me with this information, Will.”

Will thinks he might have somehow known already, but he does not comment, and only smiles back before they go back to eating in silence much more comfortable than before. They finish their main course, and Hannibal goes to the kitchen to get dessert, a delicious _mille-feuilles_ that melts right on the tongue. As dinner comes to a close and Will sees Hannibal dabbing his mouth with an embroidered napkin, he hears himself say:

“I think you look beautiful, this really suits you. It looks like a galaxy is coming out of your eyes and spreading across your face.” 

Hannibal’s smile reaches his eyes but he says nothing for a moment, and Will wonders if he overstepped his boundaries. An apology forms in his throat, but is interrupted by Hannibal chuckling and saying:

“My dear Will, I am afraid that we are going to have to work on your lines. But thank you. It seems like it was not entirely ineffective, as I find myself wooed. Now please, come with me to the kitchen.” 

They get up, take their plates, and head to the kitchen to wash the dishes. Hannibal takes his jacket off and rolls up his sleeves, and Will is reminded of how strong he is. A perfect mix of strength and elegance, of power and grace. They work in comfortable silence, Hannibal washing the dishes and Will drying them off. Once they are done, Will stands awkwardly, looking over at Hannibal on the other side of the kitchen island. He does not know what to say or do next, because every time he looks at Hannibal’s eyes, he feels like he’s going to fall.

Hannibal suddenly stares at him and… _oh no, had he said that out loud?_

Hannibal walks around the kitchen island, gently grabs Will’s wrist and pulls him close:

“I promise that I will always be here to catch you.” 

And as bright eyes surrounded by purple stare lovingly into his own, Will thinks that falling does not sound too bad. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave kudos and comments! And come find me on Twitter @softspacedad if you want


End file.
